


Into the Drift

by FeralPen



Series: postcards from the end of the world [1]
Category: Daredevil (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pacific Rim Fusion, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-01
Updated: 2018-11-01
Packaged: 2019-08-14 05:43:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16486934
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FeralPen/pseuds/FeralPen
Summary: Humanity's last hope - the Jaeger Program. A slice of AU.





	Into the Drift

**Author's Note:**

> It was Halloween, I was drinking, I stumbled over my Pacific Rim DVD when I was looking for Young Frankenstein. This happened. Cleaned up and finished this morning.
> 
> Another note - if you happen to like this and want to play in this little sandbox, please do! I love Pacific Rim AUs but I can't take on another long project.

\--

Far from home in the Shatterdome, routine was what kept a man sane.

Kaiju attacks notwithstanding, Foggy had certain expectations for how the day was meant to go. He would wake up, make coffee in his room, complete his ablutions, then join the rest of the base for breakfast in the mess hall. The rest of the day would be filled with drills and exercises and the fine note of tension as everyone waited with bated breath for the next creature to rise from the sea and kill off more Jaegers and make another pass at the mainland.

He was understandably upset when a knock came at his door when he was only halfway through his coffee. He peered at the door. Maybe the problem would go away. No such luck. Another timid knock echoed through his little allotted space.

“This better be important,” he called. He set his half-finished mug on the counter and put his head to the peephole. His eyebrows shot up. A fresh face, strawberry blonde with lashes like cornsilk. He hastily smoothed his rumpled clothes.

The blonde straightened when he threw the door open. She didn't quite cover her nerves behind her determined expression.

“Franklin Nelson?”

“Just Foggy, actually.” He crossed his arms and made a face. “And you are?”

The woman swallowed. Her resolve hardened, she spoke up. “Foggy. My name is Karen Page. I'm an engineer from the US. I'm here to run some tweaks by you for your Jaeger.”

His eyebrows shot up again. Whatever he was expecting, a fresh new engineer wasn't it. Usually Melvin handled their repairs and modifications.

“And this couldn't wait until after breakfast?”

Karen flushed, but her expression didn't waver. “I'm sorry, but I wasn't able to find your partner, and they're predicting an attack this week, so time is of the essence.”

Foggy finally relaxed and gave her a smile. “No, you won't find Matt. He's usually meditating somewhere right now. Sorry I'm so grumpy. Haven't finished my coffee.”

“I'm sorry,” she said again. “I really wouldn't have bothered you if it wasn't important.”

“It's fine.” He gestured in. “Talk over coffee?” He had enough to share.

She hesitated, but he knew he didn't look especially intimidating. No amount of combat training could really change the fact that he carried a few extra pounds, and his muscles were blanketed in a layer of amiable padding. He looked as imposing as a Labrador. He and Matt didn't fit the conventional profile of a pilot, a fact that made their kill record all the more surprising to people.

She followed him inside. He deliberately left the door open, and she noticeably relaxed. He poured her a coffee in Matt's usual mug. She accepted his offer of some sugar and powdered creamer.

“I'm sorry I barged in,” she said again.

“It's fine. What have you got?”

She squared her shoulders. “Okay, so I just got here two days ago. I was hired to work with Melvin on the _Daredevil_ , which is a great old model but it could really use some modern touches. I'm here primarily to upgrade your Jaeger, though I have some ideas for the _Iron Fist_ kicking around in my head, and the _Cloak and Dagger_ is a nightmare. The blueprints on that could give anyone a headache. Still, if we added -” she caught his bemused expression and flushed. “Sorry. I'm rambling.”

“It's fine,” he said more firmly.

“I have some improvements for your batons that Melvin says are 'inspired,’ but he said I needed to approve any changes with you and Mr. Murdock before we could get started.”

Foggy nodded. “Matt's very particular about _Daredevil_. I can give you my thoughts, but he's got the final say.”

She wilted a little, but she still brought out her schematics. “At least you can give me a feel for what does and doesn't work for you.”

Foggy had to give her credit, her ideas were impressive. She'd somehow caught the eye of what was left of the Jaeger program, and they'd aggressively recruited her for their improvements program. He was sure - after they embossed the blueprints so Matt could “see” them - that Matt would agree to the changes she'd proposed to the spring mechanism of their baton attachment.

“Karen Page, you are a marvel,” Foggy said when she finished explaining her ideas.

She flushed prettily again. “It's nothing, really.”

“It's not nothing,” he insisted. He helped her gather the schematics and led her to the door. “Come on, Matt should be at the mess hall by now. I can't wait to get him on board.”

Karen followed him out and through the hall. Her fingers tapped a nervous rhythm on her schematics. 

“How does it work?” She finally blurted. “Mr. Murdock, I mean. I'm sorry if it's a personal question. I just wondered…”

“How it is to Drift with a blind man?” Foggy's mouth quirked into a wan smile. “You're not the first person to wonder.”

“I'm sorry.”

“It's fine. It's just… Drifting? It _is_ personal. Like, intensely personal. More intimate than sex, so talking about it… it's difficult.” He caught her wilted expression and smiled reassuringly. “It's fine. It's just… how do you describe letting your partner see through your eyes? Or using your partner's senses to feel your machine? The Drift is… it's like nothing you've ever experienced. Trust me. Trust us. Matt and I have got this.”

Karen was quiet. “Thank you for being honest,” she finally said.

Foggy laughed. “Trust me, Karen, once you've spent hours sharing your headspace with someone else, dishonesty doesn't come as easy anymore.”

She opened her mouth to speak, but her words were drowned out by the sudden shrill cry of the alarms.

The bottom dropped out of Foggy's stomach.

“What's that?” Her mouth formed the question, but the rest of her face answered it for her.

“Kaiju,” Foggy breathed. 

He was running before the word had fallen from his lips. He didn't check to see if Karen was following. The instincts drilled into him had him sprinting for the Jaeger Bay, dodging past obstacles and people without seeing them.

“There wasn't supposed to be an attack until later this week,” he heard Karen yell from somewhere behind him.

He didn't spare the breath to reply. Algorithms were fine and dandy, but the reality was that Kaiju could be massively unpredictable. You couldn't trust algorithms.

The bay was a hive of activity. He could see Danny and Colleen already suited up, getting ready to load up into the _Iron Fist_. Danny spared him a grim thumb's up. Foggy returned it with a wave. His feet were still carrying him to his Jaeger.

Fury's voice barked over the PA. “This is not a drill, people. Category 4 Kaiju is emerging from the Rift. I need _Iron Fist, Daredevil,_ and _Harlem's Hero_ to intercept. Engage and neutralize.”

Foggy didn't have the heart to glance at the empty and cold _Punisher_ Jaeger in the slot next to _Daredevil._ he kept running until he made it to the loading bay for his machine.

Matt was already there. His head swiveled up to track Foggy's wild dash to their suits.

“Ready for this, Foggy?”

“Never,” he answered back cheerfully. He climbed into his suit and turned so he could check over Matt's fastenings while his partner's hands skittered over his own. Suited up, they prepared to board.

“So much for Lieberman's predicting no more Kaiju for half a week,” Matt said grimly.

“Those darn fancy maths and computers.” Foggy shook his fist at the control room good-naturedly. He glanced around and saw Karen standing with the other engineers staring at them with a pale face and wide eyes. He gave her a wave. She seemed to startle out of her funk and joined the mad flurry of preparations to get the Jaeger out of the Shatterdome.

“Who's the one with the lily perfume?”

“I thought it was gardenias,” Foggy countered.

“Pretty sure it's lilies.”

“She's the new engineer. She brought me some blueprints this morning.”

“Any good?”

“Great.”

“If we don't die, I'll check them out later.”

“Guess we'll have to not die.”

“What a bother,” Matt deadpanned.

“Time to load in,” Melvin shouted.

Foggy held Matt's hand while they were lifted into the Jaeger and prepped for the Drift. 

“Ready to initialize.”

Foggy squeezed his hand. “Ready, Matt?”

“Never,” Matt said, and they Drifted.

Foggy could feel Matt skimming over his memories of the morning, lingering over the blueprints and Karen's face. The warm approval seemed to apply to both of them. Matt had eaten black coffee and a bowl of rice this morning. Foggy deftly glossed over the sucking black pit of Elektra in Matt's mind, the memory always fresh when they Drifted for a Kaiju attack. Foggy didn't want to feel her die again. Matt traced a loving finger over the faces of Foggy's nieces and nephews. They settled into the Drift.

“ _Daredevil_ ready to engage.”

They stepped forward as one.

**Author's Note:**

> Headcanon here: Nick Fury is basically Pentecost here. Micro Lieberman is the mathematician/analyst. The Punisher Jaeger is abandoned because its pilots - Billy Russo and Frank Castle - had a violent falling-out. The Avengers were early pilots that have since died during the struggle. Elektra used to co-pilot the Daredevil.


End file.
